The course aims to give the students thorough knowledges on the geology, stratigraphy, palaeoclimatology, and paleontology of the last 2.5 million years of the Earth history and in particular of the most recent part of the Pleistocene (last 780 thousand years), illustrating multidisciplinary approaches.
teacher profile teaching materials
History of the continental Plio-Quaternary stratigraphy. Plio-Quaternary biochronology based on large and small mammals, freshwater molluscs and non-marine ostracods. Pollen stratigraphy and climatic stratigraphy. Examples of relevant continental quaternary records in central Italy: the Plio-Quaternary deposits of the Roman Campaign; the intermontane basins in central Italy (Tiberino and l’Aquila basins). Causes of the Quaternary climatic changes. Astronomical theory of climate changes. Precessional ond obliquity cycles, 40 ka and 100 ka glacial and interglacial cycles. Gelasian and Pleistocene glaciations. Historical palaeoclimatology during Holocene. Oxygen isotopes in the oceanic and ice cores. Changes of CO2 and CH4 concentrations. The Holocene and the ice cores. The Anthropocene. Sea-level oscillations during Quaternary: the eustatic curves. Historical chronology of Plio-Quaternary glaciations. Illustration of the most relevant glacial deposits on Alps and Apennines.
Programme
Historical definition of Quaternary: paleontological and climatic criteria. Historic excursus on the Plio-Quaternary chronostratigraphy. The Plio-Quaternary boundary. Ages and Stages of the marine Quaternary. GSSP and the most relevant Quaternary marine Italian successions. The Anthropocene. The Plio-Pleistocene successions in the Rome surroundings. Quaternary isotopic stratigraphy. Quaternary magnetostratigraphy. Quaternary dating methods. Plio-Quaternary marine biostratigraphy: planktonic and benthonic foraminifers, calcareous nannofossils, marine molluscs and ostracods (concept of “northern” and “senegalese” guests).History of the continental Plio-Quaternary stratigraphy. Plio-Quaternary biochronology based on large and small mammals, freshwater molluscs and non-marine ostracods. Pollen stratigraphy and climatic stratigraphy. Examples of relevant continental quaternary records in central Italy: the Plio-Quaternary deposits of the Roman Campaign; the intermontane basins in central Italy (Tiberino and l’Aquila basins). Causes of the Quaternary climatic changes. Astronomical theory of climate changes. Precessional ond obliquity cycles, 40 ka and 100 ka glacial and interglacial cycles. Gelasian and Pleistocene glaciations. Historical palaeoclimatology during Holocene. Oxygen isotopes in the oceanic and ice cores. Changes of CO2 and CH4 concentrations. The Holocene and the ice cores. The Anthropocene. Sea-level oscillations during Quaternary: the eustatic curves. Historical chronology of Plio-Quaternary glaciations. Illustration of the most relevant glacial deposits on Alps and Apennines.
Core Documentation
Pdf and copies of recent specialistic scientific publications given by the teacherReference Bibliography
Anderson, D.E., Goudie, A.S. & Parker, A.G., 2007. Global environments through the Quaternary. Oxford University Press, pp. 392. Williams, M., Dunkerly, D., De Deckker, P., Kershaw, P. & Chappell, J., 1998. Quaternary environments. Arnold eds. Andersen B. G. & Borns, H. W. jr, 1994The Ice Age world. Scandinavian University Press. Malatesta A., 1985. Paleobiologia dell’era glaciale. NIS, Roma. Ruddiman, 2008. Earth's climate: past and future. New York: Freeman.Type of delivery of the course
Lectures are carried on using ppt slides. Practical lessons are based on the description and identification of the main macro- and microfossils typical of the Quaternary period. During lessons, students are encouraged to ask questions and make comments.Type of evaluation
The examination consists in an evaluation interview in order to assess the student acquired knowledge of the topics discussed during the lessons. teacher profile teaching materials
Quaternary stratigraphic methods (isotopic stratigraphy. Magnetostratigraphy, dating methods. Geomorphological and palaeobiological sea-level indicators. The eustatic curves (9h).
Plio-Quaternary marine biostratigraphy: planktonic and benthonic foraminifers, calcareous nannofossils, marine molluscs and ostracods (concept of “northern” and “senegalese” guests) (6h).
History of the continental Plio-Quaternary stratigraphy (1h).
Plio-Quaternary biochronology based on large and small mammals, freshwater molluscs and non-marine ostracods. Pollen stratigraphy and climatic stratigraphy (“mutual temperature methods”) (6h).
Integrated stratigraphic-paleoclimate case studies: Campagna Romana and Tiberino Basin) (5h)
Soils and Paleosols in Quaternary Geology. Use of soils in the characterization of Quaternary geological units. (3 h)
Astronomical theory of climatic variations. Cycles of precession, obliquity and glacial-interglacial cycles of greater amplitude and of 40,000, 100,000 years. Glacial and interglacial, staging and interstage periods, ∂18O in speleothem, ocean/lacustrine sediment and ice cores. Changes in CO2 and CH4 concentration (9 h).
Heinrich events, Dansgaard – Oeschger events, Last Glacial Maximum, Holocene, Anthropocene (3h).
Main glacial deposits of the Alpine and Apennine areas (3 h).
Programme
Historical definition of Quaternary: paleontological and climatic criteria. Historic excursus on the Plio-Quaternary chronostratigraphy. The Plio-Quaternary boundary. Ages and Stages of the marine Quaternary (3h) GSSP and the most relevant Quaternary marine Italian successions. (8h).Quaternary stratigraphic methods (isotopic stratigraphy. Magnetostratigraphy, dating methods. Geomorphological and palaeobiological sea-level indicators. The eustatic curves (9h).
Plio-Quaternary marine biostratigraphy: planktonic and benthonic foraminifers, calcareous nannofossils, marine molluscs and ostracods (concept of “northern” and “senegalese” guests) (6h).
History of the continental Plio-Quaternary stratigraphy (1h).
Plio-Quaternary biochronology based on large and small mammals, freshwater molluscs and non-marine ostracods. Pollen stratigraphy and climatic stratigraphy (“mutual temperature methods”) (6h).
Integrated stratigraphic-paleoclimate case studies: Campagna Romana and Tiberino Basin) (5h)
Soils and Paleosols in Quaternary Geology. Use of soils in the characterization of Quaternary geological units. (3 h)
Astronomical theory of climatic variations. Cycles of precession, obliquity and glacial-interglacial cycles of greater amplitude and of 40,000, 100,000 years. Glacial and interglacial, staging and interstage periods, ∂18O in speleothem, ocean/lacustrine sediment and ice cores. Changes in CO2 and CH4 concentration (9 h).
Heinrich events, Dansgaard – Oeschger events, Last Glacial Maximum, Holocene, Anthropocene (3h).
Main glacial deposits of the Alpine and Apennine areas (3 h).
Core Documentation
Pdf and copies of recent specialistic scientific publications given by the teacherReference Bibliography
Anderson, D.E., Goudie, A.S. & Parker, A.G., 2007. Global environments through the Quaternary. Oxford University Press, pp. 392. Williams, M., Dunkerly, D., De Deckker, P., Kershaw, P. & Chappell, J., 1998. Quaternary environments. Arnold eds. Andersen B. G. & Borns, H. W. jr, 1994The Ice Age world. Scandinavian University Press. Malatesta A., 1985. Paleobiologia dell’era glaciale. NIS, Roma. Ruddiman, 2008. Earth's climate: past and future. New York: Freeman.Type of delivery of the course
The examination consists in an evaluation interview in order to assess the student acquired knowledge of the topics discussed during the lessons.Type of evaluation
The examination consists in an evaluation interview in order to assess the student acquired knowledge of the topics discussed during the lessons.